Overview

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a progressive motor neuron disease which leads to problems with muscle control and movement.[1][2] There are various types of ALS, which are distinguished by their signs and symptoms and their cause.[2] Early symptoms may include muscle twitching, cramping, stiffness, or weakness, eventually followed by slurred speech and difficulty chewing or swallowing (dysphagia). As the disease progresses, individuals become weaker are are eventually wheelchair-dependent. Death often results from respiratory failure within 2 to 10 years after the onset of symptoms. Most affected individuals have a sporadic (not inherited) form of ALS; about 5-10% have a familial (inherited) form of the condition. Familial ALS may caused by mutations in any one of several genes and the pattern of inheritance varies depending on the gene involved.[2] Treatment is generally supportive.[3]

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In Depth Information

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Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.

PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.